Ben Roethlisberger has every intention to be the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback going into the next decade.

Speaking to a handful of reporters on Wednesday, Steelers owner Art Rooney II confirmed that Big Ben wants to play beyond his current contract that is set to expire at the end of the 2019 season, per Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Rooney added that the Steelers will look to get Roethlisberger an extension before his current contract expires.

Rooney's announcement confirms what several players said shortly after the 2017 season came to an end with regard to Big Ben's future plans. Unlike the previous year, Roethlisberger quickly announced that he would return for the 2018 season minutes after Pittsburgh's season-ending loss to the Jaguars in the AFC divisional round. Big Ben told 93.7 The Fan last month that he has only committed to playing in 2018 and will continue to evaluate his career on a yearly basis.

Roethlisberger enjoyed another strong season in 2017, throwing for 4,251 yards with 28 touchdowns against 14 interceptions last season. He became the first quarterback in NFL history to lose a playoff game despite throwing five touchdowns in Pittsburgh's 45-42 loss to the Jaguars. Roethlisberger is also top-10 all-time in career passing yards, completions and touchdown passes.

Big Ben, who will celebrate his 36th birthday next month, is trying to join Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Troy Aikman and Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with at least three Super Bowl victories.

Ben Roethlisberger has every intention to be the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback going into the next decade.

Speaking to a handful of reporters on Wednesday, Steelers owner Art Rooney II confirmed that Big Ben wants to play beyond his current contract that is set to expire at the end of the 2019 season, per Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Rooney added that the Steelers will look to get Roethlisberger an extension before his current contract expires.

Rooney's announcement confirms what several players said shortly after the 2017 season came to an end with regard to Big Ben's future plans. Unlike the previous year, Roethlisberger quickly announced that he would return for the 2018 season minutes after Pittsburgh's season-ending loss to the Jaguars in the AFC divisional round. Big Ben told 93.7 The Fan last month that he has only committed to playing in 2018 and will continue to evaluate his career on a yearly basis.

Roethlisberger enjoyed another strong season in 2017, throwing for 4,251 yards with 28 touchdowns against 14 interceptions last season. He became the first quarterback in NFL history to lose a playoff game despite throwing five touchdowns in Pittsburgh's 45-42 loss to the Jaguars. Roethlisberger is also top-10 all-time in career passing yards, completions and touchdown passes.

Big Ben, who will celebrate his 36th birthday next month, is trying to join Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Troy Aikman and Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with at least three Super Bowl victories.

Interesting that all this happens after Haley is shown the door. I think it's obvious he and Ben had irreconcilable differences. I'd also say that it's most likely not all Haley's fault for that either.

Interesting that all this happens after Haley is shown the door. I think it's obvious he and Ben had irreconcilable differences. I'd also say that it's most likely not all Haley's fault for that either.

They tried to work it out, seems that once they resigned the wall up between Haley and Ben, with Fichtner, the stress seemed to go away.

Haley is a total idiot. Can't see his time in Cleveland proving results other than more stress

Gotta admit, I love to hear he's planning on playing beyond 2019, but a little disappointed in how obvious this was more about Haley than anything else.

Last year he's talking about how he's worried about CTE, how he and his wife will have conversations going forward about his future, how he's going to evaluate it year to year, he's wanting to make sure he's able to have a life with his family beyond football, and after this year Haley hasn't even gotten to the airport yet and he's all, "Nah guys, I'm good for three more years at least." Just really makes his comments he made last offseason come off as completely disingenuous.

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SteelThrillsseeker wrote:

Dad showed up after work and according to her the entire hospital hears my dad yell you are not naming our son Hoss.

Gotta admit, I love to hear he's planning on playing beyond 2019, but a little disappointed in how obvious this was more about Haley than anything else.

Last year he's talking about how he's worried about CTE, how he and his wife will have conversations going forward about his future, how he's going to evaluate it year to year, he's wanting to make sure he's able to have a life with his family beyond football, and after this year Haley hasn't even gotten to the airport yet and he's all, "Nah guys, I'm good for three more years at least." Just really makes his comments he made last offseason come off as completely disingenuous.

You know Ben... hates to say anything bad about anyone that he really has bad stuff to say about. Just remember what he said about his OL in 2008. I think last year was TOTALLY about Haley.

Gotta admit, I love to hear he's planning on playing beyond 2019, but a little disappointed in how obvious this was more about Haley than anything else.

Last year he's talking about how he's worried about CTE, how he and his wife will have conversations going forward about his future, how he's going to evaluate it year to year, he's wanting to make sure he's able to have a life with his family beyond football, and after this year Haley hasn't even gotten to the airport yet and he's all, "Nah guys, I'm good for three more years at least." Just really makes his comments he made last offseason come off as completely disingenuous.

You know Ben... hates to say anything bad about anyone that he really has bad stuff to say about. Just remember what he said about his OL in 2008. I think last year was TOTALLY about Haley.

Yeah, that's just Ben being Ben, and ultimately it led to the result he wanted with Haley let go.

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SteelThrillsseeker wrote:

Dad showed up after work and according to her the entire hospital hears my dad yell you are not naming our son Hoss.

The CTE stuff is interesting. And, as it relates to the whole QB sneak thing, it DOES demonstrate that Ben will lie, or at least exagerrate or be deceptive. I think his CTE concerns are real, but other than getting earholed on a sneak it's not enough of a concern for him to retire....it could be a case of one more concussion and he's done.

But thrilled to hear he wants to play beyond 2020. Brady, Favre and Brees all throwing the ball well into their late 30's/early 40's. Manning, who knows without the injury and surgeries. Hopefully Ben starts a better offseason conditioning program....although there's clearly an argument to be made that the slow start had more to do with Haley, because despite all the bellyaching about Ben's offseason program he's rarely started slowly.

Yeah Ben's diet hindered his play this season. He was total garbage and was lucky the team won in spite of him.

Something definitely was off those first 6-7 games. I don't know if it was a lack of preseason reps, playcalling or just a lot of new faces. Probably all of the above. Rogers was MIA pretty much the entire year. Took the WHOLE year for Bryant to get back. MacDonald was hurt most of the year. JuJu was a rookie. Bell sat out and took 3-4 games to get back to speed. And that's why JJ was your #2 receiver the first half of the year. Outside of AB, all of that certainly explains your QB being off 6 inches on some of his throws.

But like I said, we have the "lazy slob" critique almost every year but I can't remember him starting slowly any other year.

I do wish that Ben would do more than kayak in the offseason in terms of getting his body ready for the season, however. Especially now that he's getting older.

I don't think it's the arm or throwing that's the issue. But, yeah, as he gets older it's going to get harder and harder to bounce back physically and use camp to get into game shape.

Would like to see him doing some footwork and running development. The Ben that did some scrambling late in the year was vintage. You have to make the defense respect that you'll run for that 5-10 yards for the first.

I do wish that Ben would do more than kayak in the offseason in terms of getting his body ready for the season, however. Especially now that he's getting older.

I don't think it's the arm or throwing that's the issue. But, yeah, as he gets older it's going to get harder and harder to bounce back physically and use camp to get into game shape.

Would like to see him doing some footwork and running development. The Ben that did some scrambling late in the year was vintage. You have to make the defense respect that you'll run for that 5-10 yards for the first.

Exactly. Do some cardio, shed some fat. Be more nimble.

On the other hand, watching fat Ben lumber is one of the great joys of watching his late career. Always good for a chuckle.

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Orangesteel wrote:

We could have ended the game there and Tomlin’s band of assholes let them back in.